Tape reel



Nov. 17, 1931.

J. WEIBRECHT TAPE REEL Filed Sept. 29, 1926 Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT 'OFFICE JOHN WEIBEECHT, oF HoBoxEN, NEW JERSEY, AssIGNon To'rHE KEUEEEE ,a EssER COMPANY, 0E HoBoKEN, NEW JERSEY, A lCORPORATION or NEW JERSEY TAPE REEL Appneenen mea september 2a, 1926s.A serial Ne. rasa-5o.

\ e My invention relates to reels and more particularly to reels for tape measures, the invention being directed chiefly to the casing of such reels. l

Casings used for reels and particularly for reels for tape measures and used for similar purposes should besufiiciently strong' to withstand the treatment ordinarily received byf Further objects and advantages of the pres'- ent invention will appear from the following description thereof taken in connection with the drawings wherein, i

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a tape reel embodying my invention,

-Fig 2 a sectional view of the casing, with parts broken away, taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a part of the cross sectional view shown in Fig. l,

Fig. 1 is an enlarged view, with parts broken away, illustrating the details of the means for securing parts of the casingitogether, 1

. Fig. 5 is broken view partly in section of a modification ofthe invention, and

Fig. G isa sectional view, with parts broken away, taken on the line offFig. 5.f

In the Vembodiment of my invention, shown for the purpose of illustrating the same, in Fig. 1 to Fig. d inclusive, the casing 10 supports a drum 9 which may be of any configuration Vsuitable to the Winding up of a tape, cha-lk line or other article. The casing generally cylindrical in form and comprises two sections or side members 11 and 12 that 'e are composed of any desired material, such 12 is provided with or carries Vat its periphery a cylindrical flange and the flange carried t by one of the sections fits Within and is held in proper relationwith the flange of the' other side member or section. Thus the sideni'embei' orsection 12 is provided With the peripheral cylindrical flange 14e and the side member 11 is provided with or carriesthe cylindrical peripheral flange 13. The ange 13 includes a portion 13 that is of less diameter than the flange 13 and has an external diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter ofV the flange 14.' The contracted portion 13 of the flange 13 is so proportioned that When the contracted portion 13 is i11- serted Within the flange 14 the casing l() vvvill be provided with a peripheral groove 1S formed by the edge of the flange lll 'and by the shoulder Swhich'results from contracting the flange 13 to form the contracted portion 13. i y

To the end that the side members or'V sec;

tions l11 and 12 may bel readily and permae l nently joined, the flanges 13 and 14 are so constructed as to interlock, such interlocking being effected by merely forcing-one flangeint-o the other. 'Thus projections 16 are formed on the inner surface of flange 14 preferably. by making indentations 16 on the outer surface thereof and cooperating openings 15 areV formed in flange 13. The projections 16 are preferably made, latchshaped' so that the edge of the ange 13 will `slide over them and then the flange 13 will be held in place' when the projections'lt snap into the openings'l. The fiange 13 is so proportioned and the openings '15 therein are so located that when the projections 16` come into place in the ope-mugs 15, the edge of flange 13will engage the inner surface of the side member 12 to the .end that the side members 1l and 12 will be flange 13. The projections 16 and the corre'- sponding openings 15 are spaced. at suitable intervals around thefianges 151 and 13. By

providing notches in the flanges 13 and- 14e an aperture or mouth 19 is provided in the casing' for .the tape or:A other article Wound on the drum 9. j A I As shown in Fig. 5 the contracted portion of `the `flange/'of one side member that ts within `the .flange of the other side member and may be made separate in which case the side members 11 and 12, as shown in Figs. and 6, are each provided with a cylindrical peripheral flange having inward projections 28, and a ring 26, that corresponds to the contracted portion 13', is provided with openings 27 that engage the projections 28. In either the construction shown in Fig. 3 or the construction shown in Fig. 5 the parts arc firmly held together when once assembled. In the construction shown in Figs.

5 and 6 the ring 26 is not continuous and the peripheral flanges of the side members 11 and 12 are not continuous but are turned in at 45, over the ends of the ring 26, and an aperture or mouth 19 is thereby produced and the ring 26 is held in place.

In either of the forms of construction above described the body of the casing is generally cylindrical with a peripheral groove 18 and a mouth or aperture 19.

A covering for the easing may be of any suitable material such as leatherl or imitation leather or other fiexible and durable substance of desired appearance. The covering is preferably made in two parts 17 and said parts lie upon the side members 11 and 12 or 11 and 12 and are held in place at the center of said member by rings 7 that extend around the edges of the openings in the casing in which the drum 9 is mounted and are turned over the edges of the covering and of the side members, as by the spinning or bending. The side members and covering are thus firmly clamped together by the rings 7 at the openings that support the drum 9. The outer edges of the covering material are folded around the edges of the casing and brought to position in the peripheral groove 18 of the casing. These outer edges are preferably secured to the casing as by suitable cement.

A strip 22 covers, conceals and protects the edges of the covering material 17 that lie in the groove 18. The strip 22 may be held in place in various ways but as shown its ends 22 are turned into the mouth or aperture 19 or 19. The aperture 19 or 19 is provided with a mouth piece 21 that usually carries a roller 20 and is provided with tongues 25 that are turned back against the ends 22 of the strip 22 and thereby assist in holding the strip 22 in place. The strip 22 may be of any suitable material that will conceal and protect the edges of the covering 17 that lie in the groove 18 and that will present a suitable appearance. The strip 22, particularly when made of a ductile metal, will act, particularly when applied tightly, to bind the edges of the covering material into the groove 18 and hold them there when its ends 22 are turned into the aperture 19.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have described a casing suitable for tape reels and the like which may be readily constructed and which will be strong and durable and permanently assembled and which is provided with a cover that is Well secured to the casing with its free edges protected; and since the strip 22 may lie in and fill the groove 18 the casing will be free of undesirable projections. It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the details described but includes such variations and modifications as fall within the hereunto appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a tape reel, a side member having a cylindrical fiange, a second side member, a cylindrical part fitting within said flange and connected to the other of said side members, said iange having latch-like inward projections and said cylindrical part having openings receiving said projections, whereby said side members are permanently joined when said cylindrical part is forced into said flange.

2. In a tape reel, a casing comprising side members each having a peripheral right-an gled flange, one of said flanges fitting within the other, and fastening means comprising cooperating parts respectively carried by said flanges and held in fastening relation by the resilience thereof.

3. In a tape reel, a casing comprising disklike side members each having a cylindrical flange, the flange of one of said members iitting within the flange of the other member, one of said flanges having projections and the other of said flanges having openings in which said projections engage, whereby said members are joined by forcing one of said flanges into the other and thereby engaging said projections in said openings.

4. In a tape reel, a casing comprising side members each having a peripheral rightangled iange, one of said fianges fitting within the other, and fastening means comprising cooperating parts respectively carried by said flanges and held in fastening relation by the resilience thereof and the flange of one of said members engaging the other of said members and thereby spacing said members.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN WEIBRECHT. 

